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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pound — a weight
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lean — thin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com